What happens if I get injured at OCS?

April 23rd, 2008

There are a few different things that can happen if you are injured while at Officer Candidates School.

If your injury isn’t catastrophic, you will be placed on ‘light duty.’ Light duty means you will remain with your platoon, but you will not partake in anything physical. Unfortunately, you will be given a zero for every graded physical event you miss while on light duty. I don’t know what the numbers are, but if you stay on light duty for any significant amount of time, prepare to be sent home. Don’t worry though, if you are a solid candidate, the staff will recommend you re-apply when you are healed and return to OCS.

If your injury is catastrophic, you will be dropped from the program and immediately sent home to heal. Your status will change from E-5 (Sergeant) to an E-1 (Private) in the USMC Reserve. This means you will be paid as an E-1 until you are officially discharged. You won’t be discharged until you are either cleared ‘fit for duty’ by a military doctor, or are placed on a permanent disability status. You are required to see a doctor and submit an incapacitation pay request every month to your command.

If you do not live within 50 miles of a military base, you will get permission to see a civilian doctor to treat your injuries. If you do live within 50 miles of a base, you need to be treated by a doctor on that base, or get a referral to a civilian doctor from a doctor on base.